Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Pants Review

Ultralight Wind Pants That Fit In Your Pocket

The Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Pants are a super ultralight, super minimalist pair of windbreaker pants. Relative to their weight, they are extremely effective at blocking wind and trapping heat,  at the justifiable expense of low durability. Shop now.

• Price: $80
• Weight: 1.5 oz
• Fabric: Nylon, 7D, 10D, 20D
• Pockets: None
• Sizing: True to size with adjustable waist.
• Pros: Supremely ultralight and packable. Wind-resistant, traps heat. High warmth-to-weight. Effective. Extra bug protection.
• Cons: Very low durability. Material looks like plastic garbage bag. Lighter colorways are sheer. No stretch.

Compare this to more great options in our guide to the best windbreaker pants. You make Adventure Alan & Co possible. When purchasing through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Here’s why you can trust us. Now back to the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Pants review.

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Materials and Use Cases (pair with shorts)

We can’t stress enough how amazing it is that these pants weigh less than two ounces. That’s 90% of what you’re paying for and why you want them. We think they are suitable for fastpackers and trail runners who wear shorts as their primary legwear, but want something to throw on when temps drop while on the move. For example, going over a pass when the wind picks up. They can also serve as added mosquito protection.

They are great for use in the alpine where few plants grow, but they must be treated and worn with extreme care because they’re so thin. We would take them off for any bushwhacking adjacent scenario.

If you are already wearing standard hiking pants, then you will realize minimal benefit as the Copperfields have very little insulative properties on their own. The effect they achieve is almost purely through wind blockage, to prevent heat from drifting away on the breeze. If you already have pants on, then they would be close to redundant.

Now we should note, these pants are not high fashion. Our stock pair in the black colorway immediately evoked pants made of garbage bags. They look very crinkly and shiny in all of the same ways. Howeve,r getting hands on, they feel softer and more pleasant to the touch, and aren’t clammy and sticky against the skin

Features

Literally only two features are built into the Copperfield Wind Pants, which is the whole point of such a minimalist design. They are as follows.

1. Adjustable shock cord cinchable waist band. This double as compression mechanism to pack them down into roughly the size and shape of a croissant.
2. Snap closure at the pant leg hems. This allows you to adjust away a few inches excess fabric in the event that extremely accurate foot placements are required.

Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Pants Review Verdict

There’s no other pants quite as effective, minimalist, packable, as the Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Pants. This ultralight minimalist design is well suited to trail runners and fastpackers who will be wearing shorts and want to carry the lightest possible solution for extra leg warmth, strange-looking material be damned.